A Wendy walk.

The other day I took Wendy for a lovely walk to the off-leash section of Shubie Park.  Trey is not crazy about off-leash parks.  Other dogs want to run up and sniff his bum, and that sort of intimacy without a cup of coffee or a chat first, is outside his comfort zone.  Wendy, is a free and liberal bum-sniffer, both as the sniffee and the sniffer.

It was warm, and the leaves were unfurling in the magical lime greens of spring.

Wendy never ran too far ahead: always coming back to check in with me.

A dog had generously provided this feeder
for the squirrels he loves to chase.

Note at bottom says: "Stay dirty my friend"

We watched the ducks.

And Wendy went for a swim.

Since I had not brought a ball, Wendy took the liberty of generously finding a stick for me.  She dwells under the erroneous impression that I love throwing sticks.  

The dreaded departure sign.

Sometimes it's nice to have some one-on-one time with one of your "kids".

Shubie doobee do ...

The Halifax region is blessed with a number of off-leash dog parks.

Recently we discovered that Shubie Park in Dartmouth has an off leash lakefront beach area.

On our first visit, there were over 20 dogs romping around, chasing each other, fetching sticks or balls, or swimming to their heart's content.  There were rottweillers, labs, goldens, pitbulls, spaniels, dobermans and some smaller fluffer-nutters there.  There were quite a few puppies of varying ages who tried the patience of the adult dogs with their inappropriate face licking, yipping and pesky biting.  A lot of ball thievery went on, with owners trying to figure out whose ball their dog just retrieved.  Wendy on the other hand would seek out other owners when she felt we weren't throwing her ball enough.  She'd run up to strangers, drop her ball in front of them and stare at them until they'd throw it for her.  In the shot below, Wendy has targetted the lady in the pinkish sweater for harrassment.

I wish the folk back in Peterborough who think that allowing dogs to be off leash together is a recipe for dog fights, could visit this park.  It's an example of just the opposite.  Dogs need to learn to socialize at an early age and this park provides just that opportunity. 

In the shot below, Sooki learns that size is relative.  That's Bruno, the Great Dane, explaining it to her.

It was at this beach that Sooki and Buffy learned to swim, and we discovered that Trey enjoyed retrieving.

It's a wonderful place to go on a hot summer day.

  

Just watching the pack having fun makes me happy.  It's as if I'm running with them, carefree, with the fur on my face blowing back and my long ears flying in the wind.  It's wonderful to be alive !   WOOF !